


Steel and Innocence

by Ichimuune



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Paternal!Levi, Rescue, Titans, Training Squad, kid!Eren, survey corps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2013-09-25
Packaged: 2017-12-26 23:01:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/971311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ichimuune/pseuds/Ichimuune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Levi is assisting with his first mission beyond the walls in the year 842, he encounters Eren, a small 8 year old boy stranded alone in the forest. No one knows how he got there, but Levi will be damned if he leaves a child outside the walls with the Titans. </p>
<p>Canon-divergence, starts three years before the first attack on Zhiganshina. Prompted by Hikariix on Deviantart.com.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tears in the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This story has great potential to go ANYWHERE once it gets going. There will be gore, there will be angst, there will be fluffy scenes, there COULD be more later on (as in, the pairing and category COULD change much farther down the road) >.> I don't know yet, depends on what the characters in my head tell me to do. XD So sit back, enjoy the ride, and I will update as often as I can between work and making props. :3 I HOPE to have a new chapter up every few days. I'll also add more characters to the list as they appear in the story, as I have NO idea who all is going to pop their head up in my head while writing this. ^^;
> 
> Also, I am hoping to get Levi's personality down, I am a tad nervous about it. I hope he comes across well enough. In his younger years I am trying to make him a bit more malleable and not so hard-assed, but still a bit of a cold jerk at times. More of his harder personality will be revealed in later chapters. Let me know what you all think!
> 
> Edit: Fixed a few spelling, grammar and emphasis errors that I missed the first time around. Also fixed an error in character placement/timeframes.  
> ===

OUTSIDE WALL MARIA. YEAR 842.

Lightning crashed across the dark sky, drenching the fields and forest in an eerie pale glow for a split second. Rain poured down in torrents, soaking the squad that galloped on horseback through to the bone. Green hoods covered the rider's faces, protecting them from...well, not much at this point. Metal clanked at their sides, their 3D Maneuver Gear bouncing hard as the horses poured everything they had into their muscles, spurring them and their riders forward. They were used to the smack of the blade bays against their sides by now, having been bred and raised for precisely this. Spare blades clanked inside of the bays, the canisters on top being held securely by metal fittings that wrapped around the bays and the canisters both. Green cloaks, sporting the blue and white winged symbol of the Survey Corps, covered the gas and cable apparatus that each of the riders wore on their lower backs. The fast-paced clopping of the horses' hooves rang throughout the forest, timing the heartbeats of the riders and mixing with the sound of the rain splattering against the already wet ground. 

Suddenly, ahead, the leader of the group shouted orders and several of the group pulled out the handles to their Maneuver Gear, clipped blades on and activated the cables, sending them flying into the air with practiced and well-timed ease. Their horses ran forward along with the rest of the group, understanding what was going on. After another moment, more of the group followed suit, their goal clear: a twelve meter class Titan looming in the clearing before them. 

"We'll attack from all angles! Disable it and go for the nape!" someone shouted, the voice belonging to Commander Keith. Everyone in the group that was rushing through the trees both on horseback and Maneuver Gear shouted a cohesive "Understood!" that rang through the forest, drowned out by the sound of cables zipping past and wet, flapping cloaks. 

One particular member of the group came close to the Titan first. With a quick flick of his wrists timed with the proper sequence of finger twitches to the various triggers on the blade handle, he sunk his two anchors at two specific spots and twisted his body at an angle. Another quick twitch of his fingers and one cable started pulling, causing his body to turn. This was a technique that he had learned from the group's commander, someone he highly respected. Rapidly moving into a high-speed spin, he adjusted his angle at every second while moving his blades into position. Two other group members saw where he was headed and went for the Titan's ankles instead, just in case the other missed. Which, as the group had quickly found out via training reports, he almost NEVER missed.

His reputation preceded him as he felt a new feeling of the blades catching, then slicing cleanly through flesh as his body rolled like a saw past the Titan's neck. He had felt something similar during training, as the training dummies had rolls of dirt packed hard inside of leather that represented the nape of their target. Now, against a real Titan, it felt different. It felt...like a clean, slick cut. Not the harsh metal-against-dirt feeling. It was...a feeling he could easily get used to. Once his blades left flesh, he released trigger that kept his cable retracting and slowed his rotation to a halt, watching the Titan fall flat on its face, sporting a large, bloody gap in the back of its neck. He felt his weight and gravity begin to take over again, and he re-released his cables towards the nearest tree and zipped over to it, landing on a branch and staring down.

Another member latched onto the same tree and landed a couple branches lower, glancing up at the rain-soaked, black-haired newbie that stood above him.

"Damn, Levi, one strike! Most new recruits end up missing their first time!" The scout below called, amazement in his voice. Levi glanced down at the older man below him and just stared at him.

"It would do no good to miss on the first strike. Doing that would endanger everyone else. If I attack, then there must be no room for error." He said flatly, his young, steel-blue eyes steady and solid. It amused him how awed people were by his skills. And yet, it also annoyed him. Everyone viewed him as a prodigy. He constantly shrugged it off. Granted, he knew the extent of his abilities, but he didn't let that get to his head. If he did, mistakes would be made, and neither he -nor humanity- could afford that. Humanity needed every skilled soldier that they could get their hands on, especially the Survey Corps. The teammate below him sagged his shoulders and sighed at the cold reply. He was only trying to compliment, sheesh.

Another loud noise and a vibration tore his gaze at the other man away, his grip on his blades tightening. Another one was coming. Everyone turned their attention to the fifteen meter class that came lumbering through the trees, grunting as it saw one of the humans within arm's reach. Levi glanced down at the direction that the Titan was looking and now reaching, and realized that the person in the way was having problems with his gear. The cables weren't activating, and the poor person was in a panic. In a split second, Levi's cables were already released as he headed for the nape of the Titan. The scout managed to get his cables to release a second later and leaped through the air, one of his blade bays being brushed and ultimately ripped off by the Titan's reaching hand.

"Shit!" the scout yelled, cursing as unmistakable metal clash at the forest floor rang through the small clearing. The Titan had effectively cut his gas reserves in half. The effect was immediate. Without both canisters, the gas pressure was cut in half as well, and his movements slowed. He managed to make it to the tree, but he wouldn't be able to move with his gear now. His cables were literally his only lifeline. He retracted the cables, pulling himself up the tree. 

Levi sighed in haggard relief for just a brief second as he saw the scout was safe. He returned his attention to the Titan, who was now staring him in the face and reaching for -him-. His eyes widened in surprise just slightly and he pressed a trigger on his left handle, causing the left cable to retract and yank him out of harms way not a second too late. The Titan, now behind him, groaned out of frustration and turned, chasing the tiny morsel as it flew by him. Levi hoped that another member would take this distracted opportunity and take it down.

He would not be disappointed. The sound of metal against flesh rung out, and suddenly the Titan landed on the other one in a loud thudding noise that reverberated through the forest. Levi twisted slightly and redirected his cables, coming to a stop on another branch, watching the teammate that had come to his rescue land on his own tree. Levi's eyes turned and scanned for the scout that had lost his gear, then scanned the ground for the lost bay. He spotted it on the ground a few feet away from the now-smoldering Titans. He needed to get it back or the man would be dead in the water. Jumping down, he anchored his cables on a tree across the clearing, swinging down, his feet lifting up to give him a more horizontal swing. He shoved his left blade into his right hand, fingers sliding into the trigger grips, his left hand now free to scoop up the blade bay as he swung by. The moment he touched the bay, he pressed both retract triggers and zipped back upwards before he were to smack into the tree he was anchored to. He released his cables at the right time and landed on a thinner branch, causing it to bend and wobble. He stood as still as possible, his feet sliding slightly as he was nearly knocked off. After a moment, the branch steadied and he could afford a glance to the person who had lost his gear. Even at this distance, the poor man looked distraught. Sighing, he clipped the extra bay to his waist in front and cabled over to the tree the man was attached to. 

"Turn around." He stated as he gained his footing next to the still-terrified scout. Thankfully he wasn't in shock, proven by the fact he followed Levi's request and turned around as the younger man knelt behind him, attaching the bay back onto the leather straps that wrapped around the scout's legs. With deft hands, he grabbed the gas hose and reattached it to the back of the gas ejector on the other's back, thankful it hadn't been too damaged; it had been a clean yank right out of the underside of the ejector. He stood up after a moment of fiddling with it.

"There. You will need more extensive repairs when we return, but this should hold until we get back behind the walls." Levi stated, running a hand through his dripping raven hair. The other man turned back around and nodded, grateful. Levi looked around, listening to the rain and the sound of the horses below them. The horses were uneasy, and the rain seemed...almost too loud. Everything else was too quiet. He glanced around at the other squad members, seeing that same dark recognition on most of the more seasoned members. The newer members were chatting nervously amongst themselves. Levi's eyes slitted slightly, staring in a direction beyond the trees, as if trying to see through them. Through his boots, he felt a slight vibration beginning to manifest. It wasn't slow, like normal Titan footsteps. It was a rumble. It didn't even feel like an aberrant's running steps...more like...

"COMMANDER! SEVERAL ABERRANTS HEADED THIS WAY!" He shouted, pointing towards where he had been staring. Everyone's attention suddenly focused, and the vibrations became more noticeable, even to the less seasoned teammates. Commander Keith growled. Aberrants were very dangerous. It was times like this that most of the squad lost their lives. 

"Everyone up in the trees as high as you can go! We take them down from above!" He commanded, his own cables zipping out and carrying him upwards higher into the canopy. At that instant, three aberrant Titans came crashing through. One was of the fifteen meter class, another was in the twelve meter class, and the third was shorter, in the ten meter class. The tallest was running stiffly, as if its spine couldn't move. Its arms were flat against its sides and its head was waving back and fourth as if it were about to fly off. The second was flailing its arms around, its eyes each looking in opposite directions. One could wonder how it could run without running in circles like that. The third was holding its arms out at elbow length, otherwise the upper arms were pressed hard against its sides also. The second launched itself at the trees where four men were standing the moment they broke through the brush.

They didn't stand a chance.

The Titan caught two of them in it's mouth, while crushing the other two between its body and the tree. Screams and cries for help echoed through the forest. Blood mixed with rain, bones crunching could be heard, and the screams became strangled and died out quickly. Levi didn't take any chances and instantly cabled to a different tree and upwards. The man behind him moved to do so also, but found himself in the mouth of the fifteen meter class before he could blink. It had just run up, opened its mouth and clamped down around the man before he even realized it. His eyes caught Levi's as the younger sailed upwards, a silent 'thankyou' for fixing his gear mouthed before his body burst like a bloody water balloon around and inside the Titan's mouth. Deep inside, the sight of watching a teammate explode like that, whether he really knew him or not, sliced through Levi's soul with a strange burning sensation. He had, after all, just helped that man. Now...he was dead in the most gruesome and possibly painful way possible. 

Levi landed on a higher branch as more screams turned his attention elsewhere; he had no time to grieve a teammate, he could do that once they were back in the safety of the walls. He saw the smallest of the Titans chasing the squad members that were on horseback. His eyes slitted and his focus turned to the back of the Titan as he let his cables fly to bring him towards the rampaging giant. He'd be damned if another died in the way he just saw. 

He vaguely heard Commander Keith yelling at him, but he couldn't hear what was being said amongst the screams, thudding of Titan feet and horse hooves galloping at full pace away from the clearing. He swung side to side as he let each cable go and retract methodically, keeping him on the move. He triggered gas ejections at the right times to keep him going, but careful not to waste any. Out here, gas was precious. Beyond the wall they had a limited supply. 

He was catching up, focusing on the back of the Titan. At the apex of his next arc, he launched and anchored both of his cables into the nape of the ugly thing in front of him, and sent his body flying forward and downward, initiating the same corkscrew attack as before. He felt his blades connect, slice through steaming flesh, and exit as he continued downward. Another quick motion of his hands and he was already connected to a tree and flying upwards before he hit the ground, turning to watch the first of the aberrants falling down in a splatter of mud. A few cheers erupted from the horseback riders as they slowed. Levi turned his body and lowered himself to the ground for a moment, looking at the others. 

"What are you doing?! Get your asses out of here before the other two show up!" He glared at the horseback group, who looked amongst themselves in shock. Levi was a new recruit, not a seasoned officer.

"Is that what Commander Keith ordered?" one of the group asked, daring to challenge. Levi stared the other dead in the eyes.

"No. But may I remind you that I just saved your lives and I am going back." he stated, raising a blade to point behind him. "You were all on the run to begin with. If you care to stay and help, fine. Otherwise I suggest you get out of here. Those aberrants will not hesitate to enjoy the crunch of your bones if you dally too long." He stated, his steel eyes seeming to bore a hole through the person who had challenged him.

_What am I doing?_ He wondered to himself. _No one is going to listen to me, being fresh out of the training squad._ He held his gaze, waiting to see what would happen. _But if no one takes charge here, no one will do anything and everyone will die._

Behind him, more death screams announced more members dying. He watched as the members in front of him, stared behind him in fear and shock. He huffed slightly when the group didn't respond. 

"It's your last chance. Choose." He stated, activating his cables and lifting off into the trees. The sound of his cables seemed to awaken the men out of their stunned stupor and several turned and ran, while a few others yelled in defiance and activated their own gear, swinging off towards the clearing again. Levi sighed in relief. At least they had listened. Action was better than staring death in the face and dying while being frozen in fear. He turned to focus on the task at hand when an out-of-place sound caught his ears. He strained to hear it, slowing down and falling behind the others as they yelled war shouts. A vibration through the trees and down his cables told him one of the other Titans had fallen. Still...that sound...

He swung his body around and re-anchored his cables, swinging in the direction of the sound. It was small, pitiful and terrifying all at the same time. That sound should NOT be here in the forest at ALL. The closer he got, the more shocked he became. He zeroed in on the sound through the pattering of the rain and the zipping of his cables, landing near several large bushes. The sound was louder now.

Crying. 

It was unmistakable now. Someone was in the bushes crying. And it didn't sound like an adult. His brows furrowed in confusion as he took a few steps towards a thick, leaf-laden bush, noticing a small hole near the bottom where it looked like some branches had been shoved aside. He knelt down, keeping quiet, reaching out to grasp some branches and pushing them aside. The crying stopped almost immediately, with a choked whimper occasionally escaping. Whatever it was -and Levi was certain he knew what it was- was scared to death. Levi moved the branches aside more, his eyes landing on a bundle of dirtied tan and pale green cloth. His eyes softened and widened slightly as he stared at the little bundle.

"Oi...you're safe now." He said, meaning to sound kind, but his tone and demeanor sounded as if he were exasperated and annoyed. The sopping wet bundle moved after a moment, an arm sliding down over shaggy, soaked brown hair slowly. A small head came up, one eye peeking upwards at him as if to study him, and then another eye appeared.

Levi found himself staring into the most brilliant, innocent and tear-filled green-blue eyes he had ever seen.


	2. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is brought to safety, but now it remains to be seen...who will take care of Eren?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, guys, I had a lot of RL stuff happen and it was hard to get the time to sit down and work on it. But here we go! If you catch any mistakes that I might have missed, by all means, please let me know! I will go through and edit it as I read through it a few more times. Hopefully I still have the personalities down.

Chapter Two: Decisions

\---

_What the HELL is a child doing out here? How did he get out here?_

Too many questions crossed Levi's mind as he stared into the small green-blue orbs hiding under a mop of wet, brown hair. Both stared at the other out of curiosity and confusion for a brief moment before Levi reached out, extending a gentle hand to the youngster before him. 

"Ey, let's go, huh? We need to get you out of here." He reached further, trying to convince the kid to come with him. To his dismay, the child backed further away, terrified to move from the safety of his leafy hiding spot. Levi sighed. He had no time for this. Who knew when the next attack would be? His ears strained, listening for any telltale signs of further Titan attacks. Through the rain, though, it was hard to hear anything.

"C'mon, don't be a brat. You don't want to end up a snack for the Titans, do you?" He asked, trying to keep a calm tone to his voice. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare the kid and make him cry again. No doubt that would draw more Titans nearby. He wiggled his fingers, trying again to convince the little one to come to him. He watched in stretched patience as the kid nibbled on the side of his thumb out of nervousness and fear, still staying in as tight of a bundle as he could possibly manage. The smaller you were, the less noticed you were. Out here, that was good.

Levi felt it before he saw the kid's eyes suddenly grow wide with a named terror. His own eyes grew dark, glancing off to the side, catching an image out of the corner of his eyes. It was a Titan. Thank gods not an aberrant, he thought to himself as he glanced back at the kid. 

"You. You stay RIGHT HERE. Don't move, don't twitch, don't make a sound. Got it?" He said sternly, his eyes piercing through to the kid's soul. A tiny, fearful nod was all Levi needed to allow himself to get up, the branches brushing back into place as he turned around and stood, his blades in his hands again. The Titan in front of him was tall, approximately fourteen meters tall. It held a strangely creepy, oversized grin and chin-length hair. It just stood there, staring at him for a moment before it finally took another step forward, reaching down for the human snack in front of it. 

Levi wasted no time in shifting his body to one direction and firing off his cables, gas hissing from behind him as he propelled himself forward and right by the Titan's ear. A low rumble emanated from the mindless creature as it turned, trying to follow the flying human. Levi redirected and re-anchored his cables to give him a better advantage as the Titan once again reached for him. 

"Not today, you filthy bastard." he spoke, his voice deadpan as he quickly evaluated and plotted a course between the trees to draw the Titan away from the child. He zipped just out of range of the Titan again, tempting and taunting it, daring it to follow. The Titan did just that, taking a few steps away and turning it's back on the child. Levi took this as the perfect chance, planting his cables into a tree about seven meters behind the Titan. Once he zipped past, he redirected one of his cables into the nape of the Titan and twisted his body, activating the gas ejector at full pressure, swinging upwards, then allowing himself to fall straight down, throwing himself into his spinning attack again. The image of the child flashed through his mind for a brief second, forcing himself to remember why he was here, fighting Titans. For future generations. For human kind. For his friends, his teammates. He gritted his teeth and yelled out as he neared the nape of the Titan, his blades connecting and slicing a huge gash at the perfect spot. One meter long, ten centimeters across. This was the minimum strike requirement to take down a Titan. 

His strike went deeper than required, nearly three-fourths up his blades. He took no chances. He felt his blades gash into bone, but slice clean through as he hit the spine. He didn't care as long as the Titan went down. Steam began flowing from the fatal wound as the Titan suddenly stopped, toppled and fell forward, smacking against a tree. The head bent backwards at an unhealthy angle as it slid sideways from the tree and onto the ground with a heavy thud. Levi landed on the back of the Titan, his cables retracting as he did so. He stood for a moment, wisps of steam flowing about him, his blades pitted near the tips from the bone and splattered with now-steaming blood. The look on his face was one of defiance, strength and skill. With each Titan brought down, humanity would be just that much closer to defeating them.

He glanced up, returning his blades to their bays, looking towards the bushes where the small kid had been hiding. He was slightly taken aback at seeing those gentle green-blue eyes staring out from the leaves in awe. It was in that moment that a silent trust was formed. Levi had protected the boy, and the boy had seen that. Seen this man take down the giants that he had managed to elude for all this time. With a determined whimper and a sniff, the little boy ran out from the bush towards Levi.

Levi's eyes widened in shock as the kid started running for him. He quickly glanced around, praying no other Titans were anywhere near them. He didn't hear anything. He turned his attention back to the kid and hopped off of the decomposing Titan, jogging in the direction of the kid. Better to get to him first before some aberrant decided to come rushing through the brush.

Within just feet of each other, the kid stepped on a slick rock covered in mud, slipping and falling forward with a surprised yelp. His hands flailed forward as he tried to keep from smacking his face into the soaked mud beneath him. His eyes closed in preparation of getting a face full of dirt, rain and grass. Instead, his face and hands met with something wet, but soft.

The young child, now stilled, glanced up, his eyes widening at seeing that the man had caught him. Levi's eyes were thin but gentle. He held the child, his arms wrapped around the kid as he sat in the mud, his pants soaked and water getting into his boots. He had skidded the last couple feet to the kid to keep him from smacking his face into the ground, landing on his ass in the process but effectively saving the kid from getting hurt. He stared back at the wide, deep eyes of the child, watching as the kid's small hands grasped his cloak and squeezed tightly. Tears formed in the small boy's eyes, accented by his face twisting slightly and another couple sniffs. Levi couldn't help the feeling that wormed its way through his heart at the sight. He sighed softly, reaching up and unclasping his cloak.

"Oi...ey, ey...stop your crying. You're safe, I told you that already." He spoke softly, removing his cloak and covering the kid in it. He flipped the hood up so it covered the boy's head. Even with the hood up, the kid's eyes still seemed to glitter with a light of their own. Levi closed the clasp, making sure that the cloak wouldn't fall off the kid.

"There. Welcome to the Survey Corps, little hunter." he said, attempting to cheer the tearful child up. He amused himself with the term hunter. _Why not? When the kid grows up I can tell him he went out hunting Titans at a very young age. Kid could be amused._ He smiled slightly, reaching down to grasp the kid under the arms and stand him upright. The Survey Corps cloak went down to the kid's ankles, but it kept him warmer and shielded from the direct rain. Levi shivered slightly, the cold rain hitting him more directly than previously. _Screw it. As long as the kid gets behind those gates safely, I don't care._ He moved to a kneeling position, straightening out the cloak on the kid.

"You got a name, squirt?" He asked, resting his hands on the kid's upper arms and looking into his eyes. He was relieved when the small boy nodded. At least he understood what was being said.

"Well?"

"E...Er...Eren..." the boy mumbled, looking down. It almost looked like he thought he'd get in trouble. Levi tilted his head slightly, trying to catch Eren's gaze again.

"Eren, huh? Well then. We need to get you out of here. It isn't safe." He stated, standing all the way up and grasping Eren's small hand. "Come on."

Eren nodded and sniffed again, attempting to wipe his nose with his sleeve, but his hand couldn't escape the cloak. Instead, the cloak became a temporary nosewipe. Levi pretended he didn't notice, but made a mental note to clean his cloak once they got back to headquarters. He carefully guided the kid out to the beaten path where there was just a skeleton left of the Titan, and that was quickly disintegrating. The horses were closer now, and Levi could just make out the shape of several riders now. He stood out in the middle of the road, waving his free hand to catch the attention. He felt Eren grasp his leg and cling on tight, just to the inside one of the blade bays. Levi couldn't help but glance down. He was so innocent and scared...he couldn't begin to imagine what this small child had been through. 

He looked back up as someone yelled his name. They were clearer now. Several unmanned horses rode with them to the rear. Levi's heart sank when he realized how few were left.

"Levi! We need to get going! More Aberrants are coming! Get off the ground and get a move-on!" It was Commander Keith shouting as the group began to pass. Levi gritted his teeth. How the hell was he supposed to move with this kid? He had to think fast. He knelt down to Eren and looked at him in the eyes.

"Eren, you need to come with me. I need you to get on my back and wrap your arms around my neck tight, okay? Wrap your legs around my waist." He said, turning around to heft the boy on his back. Thankfully Eren complied quickly, climbing on, making sure to avoid the interesting metal thing on Levi's back. Levi reached around and pulled the kid's legs around him, then grasped the corners of his cloak and wrapped that around his waist, pulling it tight and tied it in a knot, making a makeshift kid-carrier. He felt Eren's arms slide around his neck and tighten. The horses passed, and then he could hear the rumble of the Titans behind them. His heart quickened. 

"We HAVE to go. Hold on. Whatever you do, do NOT let go. We will be moving through the air. Hold on as tight as you can and don't worry about hurting me. Ready?" He asked, the urgency in his voice clear. He heard a choked 'yes' from Eren and he nodded. 

"Here we go...the worst part. Hang on!" He yelled, firing off his cables and lifting them off into the air. For a terrifying moment, he felt Eren's arms slip, but then regain their hold. Arms and legs tightened more as Levi began swinging them through the trees towards the rest of the group. _Just hold on, kid. Don't let go..._ he prayed with each release and anchor of his cables. His little arms and legs were sturdy. Levi began to focus on his trajectory in relation to the horses. They were going to be out of the forest soon, and once there, they would have nowhere to go. He had to land on one of the horses if they were going to do this.

Cables latched into their next target, lower than before, and a sudden release of gas increased their speed. Tiny arms slipped slightly. Levi gritted his teeth and aimed for one of the middle back horses, lining up with it. Cables released, fired, and latched again. Another burst of gas. Lower again. The opening maw of the end of the forest loomed in front of them. One more time...release, fire, latch. A final burst of gas had them just a couple feet above the horse he was targeting.

"Hold on, Eren, I am dropping us!" He shouted, warning his passenger. He felt arms tighten again, almost cutting off his airways. He fired another burst of gas as he retracted his cables, the momentum pushing them forward and landing them on the horse. The horse stumbled slightly due to the sudden weight increase, but regained its footing and kept going. Levi grabbed for the reins and spurred the horse on. He felt Eren's grip loosen from the drop, but grasp and tighten again as he fought to stay on.

"Don't let go yet, kid, we are heading for the walls." He tossed over his shoulder, receiving only a nod from the kid. Damn little mouse of a human was pretty strong. Most might have fallen off his back by now and become Titan munchies. 

The group burst out from the trees, followed by a mass of five Aberrants. Three were in the ten meter class, one in the seven meter, and another in the twelve. Levi glanced back, noting all five. Something was going to have to be done or the gates would never be opened. 

"Commander! The Garrison won't open the gates with these Aberrants on our tail. They must be taken care of!" Levi yelled, more than willing to assist, save for the child on his back. But the commander didn't know he had such precious cargo with him just yet. 

"Take care of the twelve meter, Levi. Myself and four others will deal with the smaller!"

Levi spurred his horse again, riding up next to the Commander.

"With all due respect, Sir, but for me to engage a Titan right now would put this child in grave danger." He spoke, his voice ringing over the sound of hooves and rain. The Commander glanced over in shock, his amber eyes resting on the bundle on Levi's back. Eren turned his head to see the Commander, his eyes peeking out from under the hood. Their eyes locked. An unreadable emotion crossed Commander Keith's features as he stared at this unexpected turn of events. 

"Well, shit." He exclaimed, growling a bit. "Keep going. Get that kid to safety, Levi! Do whatever it takes!" He yelled, reigning in his horse slightly to fall back with the rest of the group. A few more orders were shouted, and four of the group plus the Commander suddenly zipped their lines and headed to disable and kill the Titans behind them. Levi didn't need to be told twice as he kept going. The walls were in view now through the rain. He reached into a pack on his saddle and pulled out his flare gun, grabbing a blue smoke round. It was the signal to open the gate. He quickly stuffed it in the gun and held it up. 

"Keep your grip, I am firing a smoke round. It will be loud." He said, warning the kid so he didn't get startled off his back. A second later he fired it off, a loud crack followed by the brilliant blue smoke round bright against the dark grey sky. He put the gun away and kept riding, never letting up on his pace. In the back of his mind, he envisioned each of the teammates that had stayed behind being successful in their mission to destroy those Titans. 

He rode at the front of the formation, leading the last few of the group towards the now opening gates. They were almost there. He didn't take his eyes off the gate for a second. Titans could still be anywhere, even near the gate. He had to make it quick.

"EVERYONE THROUGH! NOW!" He shouted, digging his heels into the side of his horse again, urging it just a tad faster. He would repay the horse later with extra feed and a warm blanket. He could see the steam rising from the horse's mouth and nostrils with every labored breath. The horse was running on its last reserves. Something dark passed over them, and he looked up, watching the gate pass by over head as they ran under it. 

Safe. 

He slowed the horse as they ran across the bridge, hearing the others doing the same. He turned the horse to look at the gate, seeing five other riders running towards them in the distance. His heart pounded in his chest, watching them get closer and closer.

In the flash of an eye, an Aberrant running on hands and feet like a spider rushed the group from the side, taking out three of the five and nearly knocking the other two down. The horses had their own spur of fear and they bolted faster, carrying the last two survivors toward the gate.

"CLOSE THE GATE!" Commander Keith was yelling at the top of his lungs. He was intending to cut it extremely close. "CLOSE IT! NOW!"

The gate started closing. Commander Keith gritted his teeth and kept going. His remaining teammate moved up next to him, keeping pace. Both had to get through at the same time if this was going to work.  
The gate kept closing. They kept going. 

Both ducked down on their horses as they slipped just barely underneath the spikes of the gate. 

"DROP THE GATE!" He yelled as they went through. The sudden rush of the gate falling could be heard, along with the running of the Aberrant behind them. A giant face suddenly burst through the remaining space as the gate crashed down on top of its head, leaving it wriggling on the outside of the gate, but staring inward via a now-severed head. A few startled and fearful screams erupted, but quickly faded as they realized the Titan had been stopped in its tracks and wasn't going anywhere. Steam began to rise from the severed head as it began to disintegrate.

A few cheers rose up from the gate-watchers as the two final members managed to barely escape with their lives. The face of the Titan stuck under the door was turning into just a gigantic skull, steam rising off of it in thick, billowing clouds. On the other side it had broken free of the gate, wandering aimlessly as the head began to recover and grow back. The cheers, though, faded quickly when they realized that very few had made it back. Levi managed to lead the remaining five through the gate before the Commander and the other teammate. Overall, seven survived. This excursion yielded a very high mortality rate. They had thirty going with them. Seven left.

 _No, wait. Eight,_ Levi corrected himself as he watched the others begin to realize the same thing he did. Most of their squad was destroyed. But out of the death, a life was saved. A small, innocent life. He reached down, grasping the knot of his cloak and untying it. He reached up and clasped Eren's wrists, pulling at them gently.

"You can let go now. We're safe." He said, his voice stiff and raw from the yelling. Eren glanced up, his arms loosening again. Levi gripped his arms a bit tighter, supporting the kid as he pulled him around to the front, sitting Eren right in front of him on the horse's shoulders. He let the little squirt keep his cloak on; it was drizzling and still wet everywhere. Little Eren tugged at the hood, keeping it up over his face. 

Levi glanced down as the kid in front of him snuggled back against his chest slightly while grasping the mane of the horse for support. He gritted his teeth and looked back up, dropping his arms to either side of Eren as he held onto the reins, giving the kid a natural guard to keep him from sliding off. _What parent would let their kid manage to escape from outside the walls? Or did someone...LEAVE him out there...?_ He mentally shook his head at that thought. If he found out someone did that, he'd personally rip them a new one. There was no reason for sending a child out to fend for himself in Titan-infested territory. Absolutely none. ESPECIALLY as young as Eren.

Levi let his horse fall into the remainder of the group as they slowly walked down the main street, a mass of people on either side. Whispers rose up from several people, talking about how lives were always lost, how wasteful the Survey Corps were, how they were just a death sentence. But occasionally, there was a child staring in wide-eyed amazement and hero-worship. Levi managed to catch the eyes of one such child, then looked away. The kid didn't understand how dangerous this job was. The Titans were ruthless killers. To be of the Survey Corps, one had to have nerves of steel, an unwavering will and an extreme determination. One had to be able to stay stable in the wake of watching comrades die in extremely gruesome ways. One had to be able to keep going even after seeing a friend or loved one get eaten. To keep a crystal clear mind and goal front and center without faltering, no matter what happened. Levi sighed softly, keeping his expression a silent one as people began to yell at them, crying out for justice for the now-dead members.

"L-Levi...where..where will I go?"

The question caught Levi off guard and he looked down, seeing Eren's eyes looking up at him, wide and watering. It hit him with a sudden realization. No one in the group of humans that lined the street had rushed up to claim him. Where WERE this kid's parents? Did they get eaten at some point? Did they just not care? He glanced from side to side, trying to see if anyone had the terrified and worried look of a parent in distress. Instead, his glances were met with anger, sadness and annoyance. No one came forward, no one was yelling his name. 

Was he an orphan? 

At this point, that's how it seemed. He sighed softly, glancing back down at Eren, who still looked up at him with a strange look that seemed a combination of worried, scared and sad. Levi's eyes softened slightly.

"You'll stay with me." _Wait, why did I just say that? I'm no parent...but...I am all he has right now..._ Levi's mixed thoughts were brushed away and his words solidified when he saw the look of relief -and a smile- appear on the kid's face. _He wanted to stay with me the whole time...the little brat._ He managed a gentle smile back, releasing one side of the reins for a moment to reach up and ruffle the kids head gently, pushing his hood back in doing so. Eren's eyes closed and he giggled - _giggled_ \- as Levi did that. It was the most cheerful thing that any of the group had heard all day. The other six members on horses looked over at the sound of the giggles, small smiles being brought to their face. Even in the midst of all the death that had surrounded them, some how...this kid managed to remind them that they were all alive. They would fight another day, and take the fury and strength of their now-gone squad members to the next fight. A few chuckles escaped several of the members as Eren giggled again. 

Levi looked around, realizing the effect that Eren had on the group. It was heartwarming, as just a few moments ago everyone wore expressions of shock and inner turmoil. Laughter was medicine for the soul, no matter what happened. Eren had single-handedly brought them out of their stupor to remind them of the reason they all fought, the reason they lived.

_Yeah...he stays with me. Damn kid, anyway..._

\---

"What in God's name are you thinking, Levi!?"

Steel eyes stared squarely into brown-amber eyes, unwavering and not backing down.

"I said, 'He stays with me'. Do you have a problem with that?" Levi said in a very deliberate tone, repeating what he had said just moments ago. The conversation had started out simple enough, with the Commander casually voicing where they should send the child, and mentioning that they should look into a foster home for him. Levi had stood in front of the child, one hand behind him as if protecting the short squirt, saying in no uncertain terms that Eren was staying. Commander Keith was not impressed, nor was he willing to let a child stay within the headquarters of the Survey Corps. For one, with the mortality rate being so high among members, it would be devastating to the child should Levi be killed. Two, the child could get hurt in the event of an emergency with all the running that they would need to do. And of course the kid couldn't go on the missions. No way, not in any Hell ever conceived by anyone.

"Yes, I have a problem with that! You need to think in the child's interests, Levi. What if you die on a mission? What about when we go on missions? He can't go with us. He needs a stable home with parents, maybe a sister or brother. He needs a foster home, not someone who goes outside the walls with a high chance of getting killed!" the Commander nearly yelled, his voice getting louder. Levi kept his face with a look of determination and refusal to back down.

"You don't think I have considered all of this? I didn't graduate top of my class for nothing, you know." He snapped back, his steel eyes flashing. "I have thought of Eren's interests. And right now, his best interest is to stay with me." 

"Levi-"

"No. Do you realize how terrified he was when I asked him before even getting BACK here about finding him a foster home? He clung to my arm, Commander. He cried. He begged me not to leave him. And the answer, Commander, is no. I am not leaving this child to the chance of ending up outside the walls again because he goes looking for me!" Levi stated, his eyes still harder than the walls that surrounded the last of humanity. He had drove home a very real possibility. Eren could wander outside again, looking for the man that had saved his life, even though no one knew exactly how he got outside to begin with. 

"Levi we can't just let a child wander around here without someone watching him-"

"And who says no one is going to watch him? I'm taking him under my wing, Commander. If I need to move into my own place just outside of HQ, so be it. He trusts me. I am not leaving him alone with someone he doesn't even know." Levi countered, cutting off the Commander. Yes, he was taking a huge risk. Stepping on the Commander's words. Taking in a small, eight-year-old child. No one in the Survey Corps could readily take care of a child, but Levi was willing to take on this task. _One day at a time,_ he thought to himself. _That's the only way to get through it._ He braced himself, half expecting the Commander to go flying off the edge at him. For a moment, that's how it looked. It looked bleak as the Commander's eyes seemed full of anger and annoyance at being defied. He opened his mouth to speak.

And promptly shut his mouth again as Eren peeked around Levi's leg, his wide, blue-green eyes staring into the Commander's soul, full of worry and fear. He watched as the small child reached up and grasped Levi's hand, moving it in front of his face and peeking out from behind his savior's hand. His hair was half dry now, after finally getting out of the rain. The Survey Cloak was replaced by a big fluffy blanket that Levi had personally wrapped around the kid to keep him warm. The blanket had pooled around the kid's feet, making it look like he was growing up from out of a pile of blankets. It was the innocence and fear of the unknown that crossed his features that caused the Commander to sigh, his shoulders slipping slightly, his own head tilting to the side slightly in deliberation. 

After a few moments of staring between the two, debating on the proper course of action, he finally spoke.

"Fine. But the kid's food comes out of your pay. His care and clothes do, also. The moment you need help to care for him, he goes into a foster home. Got it?" He grumbled out, still not really thrilled with the idea. Levi's eyes brightened by a minuscule amount and he straightened, bringing his right arm up in the traditional salute with his fist over his heart. He squeezed Eren's hand gently, and the kid suddenly looked up at Levi and grinned.

"I get to stay?" He asked, his voice slightly hesitant and hopeful. The Commander realized with a slight jolt that agreeing with Levi was actually the best, judging by the look on the kid's face. He watched as Levi looked down at the kid, then turned to kneel in front of him, one hand still clasped in Eren's, the other reaching up to ruffle his hair. 

"Yes, brat, you get to stay." He said, his words lightly teasing. He let out a surprised 'oof!' when he was suddenly tackled by Eren, the surprise attack knocking him backwards. He buried his face into Levi's still-wet shirt, a happy grin on his face.  
"Ey, ey...I'm still soaking wet, you'll get your blanket wet! C'mon, let go..." But his words fell on deaf ears as the kid continued to happily hug Levi. After a moment, Levi looked over at the Commander, who raised his hands and turned around to head to his desk, as if to say, 'Not my problem, you wanted him, he's yours'. Levi just sighed softly and tried to tug the kid off of him.

"By the way, what's his name?" 

Levi glanced back up at the Commander, then down at the kid, then back up at the Commander. He was sure he mentioned his name before, but...

"Eren, sir."

"Any last name that you know of?"

Levi glanced back at Eren, curious. The kid had heard the question, and looked at the Commander.

"J-Jaeger..s-sir," he stammered out, trying to imitate Levi. Levi raised an eyebrow. _Jaeger?_ He was amused now. Jaeger meant 'hunter' in an obscure dialect that most of humanity didn't quite remember. After being in the same walls for over a century, language, for the most part, had melded into one universal language. He thought it was from an old dialect called German. He might have to see if there was anything in the old archives about that. But what had amused him was that in the forest he had jokingly called him a hunter. _I guess I was right. He really IS a hunter._

The Commander nodded at the young boy.

"Very well. I shall add you to the live-in roster. Levi is your caretaker. Do try to behave within these walls, Eren."

Eren brightened and nodded, happy to not have to leave Levi's side.

"Y-yes sir!"

\---

After a warm (albeit playful and messy) bath for the kid and a hot, relaxing one for himself, Levi was fixing up a makeshift bed on the other side of his room for Eren to sleep on. It consisted of two large desk chairs pulled together, facing each other. Both chairs had arm-rests on them, so it made an effective bed-guard on either side to keep the kid from rolling off the chairs. He placed a thickly-folded blanket down on top, making it soft and comfortable. He rummaged around in his closet, producing an extra pillow that he stuffed on one side of the bed and then laid another blanket down on the bed for Eren to curl up under when he was ready to sleep. He finally turned around to Eren, who had been sitting cross-legged on his bed, hands on his legs, watching Levi's every movement, wide-eyed as always. 

"There. You'll have this tonight. Tomorrow I will arrange to have a proper bed brought up. It's just too late right now." He stated, walking over and sitting next to Eren with an exhausted sigh. He shoved himself back up against the wall, bringing his knees up and resting his arms on his knees. After a second thought, he reached over and grabbed a dark green blanket, unfolding it and wrapping it around his shoulders for warmth.

"Thank...thank you, Levi." Eren said, still stammering slightly. Levi nodded, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall again. He felt the bed shift after a moment, and suddenly he felt an arm wrap around his lower right leg, and the other arm reaching over to drape across his left arm. A fluff-covered head leaned against the same leg, the kid's knees brought up towards his own chest as he leaned against Levi like he was a pillow. Levi opened his eyes, looking at the kid. For a brief moment, he thought about telling the kid to go curl up in his makeshift bed, but something stopped him. Perhaps it was the fact that the kid was already dozing off against his leg. He sighed softly, leaning forward a bit, pulling the blanket he had wrapped around himself and dragged it over his shoulder, draping it over the smaller child in front of him. Eren snuggled in closer, feeling Levi's warmth on the blanket as he was wrapped in it. 

Levi could only give a soft smile at the sight in front of him. _He's been through a lot. No harm in letting him sleep here, I suppose..._ He thought, mentally shrugging. He was slightly amused at how things tended to work. He started out the day as cold as he could be, and now he was warmed over by this small child. He'd do whatever was necessary to make sure the kid grew up strong. 

"You're safe, kid. I promise that." He whispered, leaning back again, keeping one hand resting on Eren's shoulders as they both drifted off in that awkward position, exhausted from the day's events. As Levi drifted off, a stream of things to do to get Eren settled in crossed his mind, but darkness, then dreams eventually took over.

_Bed...food...clothes...doctor checkup...toys? Wonder what kind....of....toys...._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyyyy Eren is starting to open up. :D And Levi...Levi is Levi. Won't take no for an answer. XD Please feel free to leave comments! So far the few I have gotten are very awesome and the support fuels me! Thanks for the hits, the kudos and comments! Tomorrow I fire off for chapter three! I hope you liked this one!
> 
> Also, inspiration for the final scene there brought to you by Hikariix: http://hikariix.deviantart.com/art/Unbreakable-400907128


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